Promise of Forever

Promise of Forever

Back of the Book

RAINBOWS ARE GOD'S PROMISESI learned that in Sunday school. That's why I draw rainbows. I love Bible stories, especially Noah and the ark…'cause Daddy's name is Noah McKnight. I thought it would be nice to make a rainbow for his new boss, Dr. Beth Brennan, to welcome her. She joined her family's medical clinic and painted animals two by two on the walls! Daddy comes home smiling every night, when he used to be so sad. Beth's smart and pretty. She goes to church with me, likes cookies, knows how to fix a little girl's hair and would make a perfect mommy. I just have to convince Daddy of that!

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Patt Marr's Bio

Patt is a published author, a musician, a counselor, a business teacher and a church leader in music, drama, TV production and education. Born Patricia Campbell in Chillicothe, Missouri, Patt was raised and adopted by her maternal grandparents. Her school friends knew her as Pat Donovan, the girl who played the piano and clarinet, who always had a job (Library, Chamber of Commerce, J.C. Penney's), who loved being Barnwarming Queen, who played the organ at church before she was old enough to drive and who skipped her senior year because her grandfather was ill and wanted to see her graduate from high school and go on to college.

As a teenager, she read the library's collection of Grace Livingston Hill's faith-based romances, but she didn't dream of writing a book herself. She won the Freshman Writing Award at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri, but writing wasn't as interesting as the captain of the basketball team. Patt married David "Squeak" Marr the summer after his graduation, and they moved to Macon, Missouri. He coached and taught, and she led a Girl Scout troop, drove cheerleaders to away games, kept the basketball shot chart and was active at church.

At the same time, Patt commuted to college  Northeast Missouri State University (now Truman State U)  and took the maximum load  mostly business classes, preparing to support herself if she had to. Any children she might have would not be raised by grandparents. She didn't expect to graduate, but she did at age 20, with honors and with child.

During a prayer for financial help, Patt received a phone call with an offer to teach in a one-room school  grades one to eight. Since she knew nothing about children and wasn't prepared to teach them, she declined the offer and returned to praying. The idea, however, stuck, and she did accept the position for one year. Patt says she learned more from the children than they may have learned from her. Later, she saw this period as a God set-up, for she worked with thousands of children in Sunday school, children's church, children's choirs and vacation Bible school over the years.

Son Dane was born two years after daughter J-J. The family lived in East Moline, Illinois, where David coached and Patt was a substitute teacher. When the kids were in school, Patt taught business full-time, earned her master's degree in guidance and counseling, switched to the counseling department and loved being a mother. During those busy years of raising children, attending ball games, doing church ministry, performing music, building a house and working a challenging job, Patt discovered a perfect way to relax.

Short contemporary romances provided a wonderful three-hour escape, and Patt's friend Jackie provided the books. In the church parking lot, Jackie passed on big grocery bags full of romance novels. Jackie rated the books by tearing off the cover corners, and Patt learned that readers don't always agree on what makes a great book, even when they're great friends.

After reading a few hundred of these books, Patt knew she could write one herself. She bought her first computer, gave it a try and discovered that it was so easy it only took her 10 years to write a book that would sell. That book was a faith-based romance, a little like the Grace Livingston Hill books Patt still loved. Angel in Disguise, a Steeple Hill Love Inspired book, won the National Readers Choice award for the Best Inspirational Romance of 2000.

When Patt's next book was rejected, she redecorated the house and focused on her terrific family, her treasured friends and her wonderful church that started with 40 people and grew to more than 1,500 in eight years. She ran from the rejection instead of remembering that readers don't always agree on what makes a great book.

Finally, in the winter of 2003, she realized that words were cheap, and it would cost her nothing but free time if she got back to business and tried again. If God wanted to use her to write inspirational romance, she could do her part. It was a good decision. She sold that book that July! Her husband was thrilled, possibly because she would stop redecorating. Her family and friends rejoiced and made her think she had done a great thing.

Watch the eHarlequin.com web site for the publication dates of future books by Patt Marr.